Paul Skenes Struggles in Pirates’ Loss to Brewers

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin, USA — Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes faced a tough match against the Milwaukee Brewers, resulting in a 4-2 defeat on June 25, 2025, at American Family Field. This loss marked the Pirates’ second straight defeat in the series, as they had lost 9-3 the previous night.

The Pirates won the series opener on June 23, with a score of 5-4, but dropped their record to 32-50 overall and 12-29 on the road. Meanwhile, the Brewers improved to 45-36 overall and 25-16 at home.

In the game, Pirates right fielder Adam Frazier started strong with a walk against Brewers pitcher Jacob Misiorowski. Frazier stole second and advanced to third on a flyout by Bryan Reynolds, but the Pirates could not capitalize, as Misiorowski struck out Spencer Horwitz.

Skenes had an unpredictable start, allowing a walk to Brewers’ Sam Frelick in the first inning but escaping further damage by striking out Christian Yelich and Rhys Hoskins. However, he ran into trouble in the second inning, walking Isaac Collins and allowing back-to-back singles that loaded the bases.

Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz hit a ground ball that allowed Collins to score, giving Milwaukee a 1-0 lead. A subsequent double by catcher Eric Hasse scored Turang and pushed the Brewers’ lead to 2-0. An error by Pirates pitcher Javier Gonzales allowed another run to cross the plate, making it 3-0.

After a mound visit from Pirates manager Don Kelly, Skenes attempted to settle in but gave up another run when Yelich hit a single to score Hasse, bringing the score to 4-0. Skenes’s outing ended after four innings, during which he threw 78 pitches, allowed four hits, two walks, and four earned runs.

Misiorowski, on the other hand, enjoyed a solid outing, finishing after five innings with just two hits and two walks against eight strikeouts. The Pirates attempted to rally in the later innings, with Cruz scoring in the seventh to narrow the deficit to 4-1.

In the eighth inning, Horwitz’s double scored Frazier, making it 4-2. Despite their efforts, the Pirates could not overcome the Brewers. The Pirates’ pitching lineup saw Mike Burrows and Caleb Ferguson come in, both managing to keep the Brewers at bay for the remainder of the game.

The Pirates will have a day off before hosting the New York Mets for a weekend series at PNC Park from June 27 to 29.